GPA Calculator (4.0 Scale)

Your GPA is the grade point average used by universities worldwide, and it is one of the first numbers employers and postgraduate admissions look at. This GPA calculator lets you add your courses, their grades and credit hours, and see your GPA calculated instantly.

It uses the standard 4.0 scale — A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0 — with common +/- adjustments, and it is fully front-end, so no marks are stored anywhere.

How to use it

  1. Select your grading scale — the standard 4.0 scale, or a version with +/- adjustments.
  2. Add a row for each course: choose the letter grade and enter the credit hours.
  3. Your GPA updates live as you add rows. Use the copy button to grab the result.

How the weighting works

Multiply each course's grade point by its credit hours, add those products, then divide by total credit hours. An A in a 4-credit course contributes 16 points; the same A in a 1-credit course contributes 4. That weighting is the whole difference between a GPA and a simple average of your grades.

It also explains a result that surprises students every year: a strong set of grades can produce a mediocre GPA if the weakest results happened to fall in the heaviest courses. Averaging grade points without weighting gives a different and incorrect figure.

Scales differ, so check yours

This calculator uses the common 4.0 scale — A is 4.0, B is 3.0, C is 2.0, D is 1.0 — with the usual plus and minus steps between. That covers most North American institutions and many others that have adopted it.

The variations are real, though. Some institutions cap A+ at 4.0 while others award 4.3. Some use a 4.3 or 5.0 maximum throughout. Others report on entirely different scales, and a few weight honours or advanced courses upward. Take the exact table from your own institution's handbook rather than assuming this one applies.

Weighted and unweighted GPA

Some institutions, particularly at secondary level, publish two figures: an unweighted GPA capped at 4.0, and a weighted GPA that awards extra points for advanced or honours courses and so can exceed 4.0.

Applications usually specify which they want, and sending the wrong one is a common and avoidable mistake. Where a form does not say, provide the unweighted figure and note that a weighted GPA is also available — an admissions office can ask, but cannot un-see a number that looked inflated.

Repeats, withdrawals and pass grades

Institutions differ substantially on repeated courses: some replace the original grade, some average both attempts, and some record both while counting only the higher. The effect on your cumulative figure is significant, and the rule is set by your institution rather than by any general convention.

Withdrawals usually carry no grade point and are excluded, though an excessive number can be noticed by admissions committees. Pass or credit grades from ungraded courses are normally excluded from GPA entirely, which means they neither help nor hurt the number but do still count towards your credits.

Frequently asked questions

How is GPA calculated?

Multiply each course's grade point by its credit hours, sum the results, and divide by total credit hours. Credit weighting is what separates it from a simple average.

Is the 4.0 scale universal?

No. Some institutions award 4.3 for an A+, some use 4.3 or 5.0 maximums, and others use different scales entirely. Check your own handbook.

What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?

Unweighted caps at 4.0. Weighted awards extra points for advanced or honours courses and can exceed 4.0. Applications usually specify which they want.

How do repeated courses affect GPA?

It depends on the institution — some replace the earlier grade, others average both attempts. The effect on a cumulative GPA is significant, so check the rule.

Do pass or credit grades count?

Usually not towards GPA, since they carry no grade point, though they normally still count towards your credit total.

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